Granita, a semi-frozen, icy dessert, has its origins on the Italian island of Sicily. I came up with this recipe years ago while living in Vermont. It was intended as a palate cleanser (intermezzo) between courses, but because it’s so easy and has such a unique flavor, it makes for a refreshing dessert too. If you're familiar with Recchiuti chocolates you'll recognize the tarragon and grapefruit combo. This granita was the inspiration for that confection and it remains one of my favorites to this day. Enjoy!

Method

Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, remove from the heat, and stir in 1/4 cup of tarragon into the water. Cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap. Let steep for 30 minutes.

While the tarragon syrup is steeping, juice and strain the grapefruits into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Strain the tarragon syrup into the grapefruit juice and stir to mix. Whisk in the minced tarragon.

Place the bowl uncovered in the freezer. Stir with a fork or whisk every 30-40 minutes until the liquid is frozen and granular. This will take 2-3 hours, depending how cold your freezer is.

Spoon the finished granita into chilled serving bowls and garnish with fresh tarragon and a fresh grapefruit segment.